scholarly journals Socioeconomic inequalities in suicide in Europe: the widening gap

2018 ◽  
Vol 212 (6) ◽  
pp. 356-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Lorant ◽  
Rianne de Gelder ◽  
Dharmi Kapadia ◽  
Carme Borrell ◽  
Ramune Kalediene ◽  
...  

BackgroundSuicide has been decreasing over the past decade. However, we do not know whether socioeconomic inequality in suicide has been decreasing as well.AimsWe assessed recent trends in socioeconomic inequalities in suicide in 15 European populations.MethodThe DEMETRIQ study collected and harmonised register-based data on suicide mortality follow-up of population censuses, from 1991 and 2001, in European populations aged 35–79. Absolute and relative inequalities of suicide according to education were computed on more than 300 million person-years.ResultsIn the 1990s, people in the lowest educational group had 1.82 times more suicides than those in the highest group. In the 2000s, this ratio increased to 2.12. Among men, absolute and relative inequalities were substantial in both periods and generally did not decrease over time, whereas among women inequalities were absent in the first period and emerged in the second.ConclusionsThe World Health Organization (WHO) plan for ‘Fair opportunity of mental wellbeing’ is not likely to be met.Declaration of interestNone.


Author(s):  
Cesar de Souza Bastos Junior ◽  
Vera Lucia Nunes Pannain ◽  
Adriana Caroli-Bottino

Abstract Introduction Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal neoplasm in the world, accounting for 15% of cancer-related deaths. This condition is related to different molecular pathways, among them the recently described serrated pathway, whose characteristic entities, serrated lesions, have undergone important changes in their names and diagnostic criteria in the past thirty years. The multiplicity of denominations and criteria over the last years may be responsible for the low interobserver concordance (IOC) described in the literature. Objectives The present study aims to describe the evolution in classification of serrated lesions, based on the last three publications of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the reproducibility of these criteria by pathologists, based on the evaluation of the IOC. Methods A search was conducted in the PubMed, ResearchGate and Portal Capes databases, with the following terms: sessile serrated lesion; serrated lesions; serrated adenoma; interobserver concordance; and reproducibility. Articles published since 1990 were researched. Results and Discussion The classification of serrated lesions in the past thirty years showed different denominations and diagnostic criteria. The reproducibility and IOC of these criteria in the literature, based on the kappa coefficient, varied in most studies, from very poor to moderate. Conclusions Interobserver concordance and the reproducibility of microscopic criteria may represent a limitation for the diagnosis and appropriate management of these lesions. It is necessary to investigate diagnostic tools to improve the performance of the pathologist's evaluation, for better concordance, and, consequently, adequate diagnosis and treatment.



2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2025-2035
Author(s):  
María Sol Ruiz ◽  
María Belén Sánchez ◽  
Yuly Masiel Vera Contreras ◽  
Evangelina Agrielo ◽  
Marta Alonso ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesThe quantitation of BCR-ABL1 mRNA is mandatory for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, and RT-qPCR is the most extensively used method in testing laboratories worldwide. Nevertheless, substantial variation in RT-qPCR results makes inter-laboratory comparability hard. To facilitate inter-laboratory comparative assessment, an international scale (IS) for BCR-ABL1 was proposed.MethodsThe laboratory-specific conversion factor (CF) to the IS can be derived from the World Health Organization (WHO) genetic reference panel; however, this material is limited to the manufacturers to produce and calibrate secondary reference reagents. Therefore, we developed secondary reference calibrators, as lyophilized cellular material, aligned to the IS. Our purpose was both to re-evaluate the CF in 18 previously harmonized laboratories and to propagate the IS to new laboratories.ResultsOur field trial including 30 laboratories across Latin America showed that, after correction of raw BCR-ABL1/ABL1 ratios using CF, the relative mean bias was significantly reduced. We also performed a follow-up of participating laboratories by annually revalidating the process; our results support the need for continuous revalidation of CFs. All participating laboratories also received a calibrator to determine the limit of quantification (LOQ); 90% of them could reproducibly detect BCR-ABL1, indicating that these laboratories can report a consistent deep molecular response. In addition, aiming to investigate the variability of BCR-ABL1 measurements across different RNA inputs, we calculated PCR efficiency for each individual assay by using different amounts of RNA.ConclusionsIn conclusion, for the first time in Latin America, we have successfully organized a harmonization platform for BCR-ABL1 measurement that could be of immediate clinical benefit for monitoring the molecular response of patients in low-resource regions.



Author(s):  
Praveen Indraratna ◽  
Uzzal Biswas ◽  
Jennifer Yu ◽  
Guenter Schreier ◽  
Sze-Yuan Ooi ◽  
...  

Introduction: Mobile phone-based interventions in cardiovascular disease are growing in popularity. A randomised control trial (RCT) for a novel smartphone app-based model of care, named TeleClinical Care - Cardiac (TCC-Cardiac), commenced in February 2019, targeted at patients being discharged after care for an acute coronary syndrome or episode of decompensated heart failure. The app was paired to a digital sphygmomanometer, weighing scale and a wearable fitness band, all loaned to the patient, and allowed clinicians to respond to abnormal readings. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated several modifications to the trial in order to protect participants from potential exposure to infection. The use of TCC-Cardiac during the pandemic inspired the development of a similar model of care (TCC-COVID), targeted at patients being managed at home with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Methods: Recruitment for the TCC-Cardiac trial was terminated shortly after the World Health Organization announced COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Telephone follow-up was commenced, in order to protect patients from unnecessary exposure to hospital staff and patients. Equipment was returned or collected by a ‘no-contact’ method. The TCC-COVID app and model of care had similar functionality to the original TCC-Cardiac app. Participants were enrolled exclusively by remote methods. Oxygen saturation and pulse rate were measured by a pulse oximeter, and symptomatology measured by questionnaire. Measurement results were manually entered into the app and transmitted to an online server for medical staff to review. Results: A total of 164 patients were involved in the TCC-Cardiac trial, with 102 patients involved after the onset of the pandemic. There were no hospitalisations due to COVID-19 in this cohort. The study was successfully completed, with only three participants lost to follow-up. During the pandemic, 5 of 49 (10%) of patients in the intervention arm were readmitted compared to 12 of 53 (23%) in the control arm. Also, in this period, 28 of 29 (97%) of all clinically significant alerts received by the monitoring team were managed successfully in the outpatient setting, avoiding hospitalisation. Patients found the user experience largely positive, with the average rating for the app being 4.56 out of 5. 26 patients have currently been enrolled for TCC-COVID. Recruitment is ongoing. All patients have been safely and effectively monitored, with no major adverse clinical events or technical malfunctions. Patient satisfaction has been high. Conclusion: The TCC-Cardiac RCT was successfully completed despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. Use of the app had an added benefit during the pandemic as participants could be monitored safely from home. The model of care inspired the development of an app with similar functionality designed for use with patients diagnosed with COVID-19.



2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany Hipple Walters ◽  
Ionela Petrea ◽  
Harry Lando

While the global smoking rate has dropped in the past 30 years (from 41.2% of men in 1980 to 31.1% in 2012 and from 10.6% of women in 1980 to 6.2% in 2012), the number of tobacco smokers has increased due to population growth (Ng et al., 2014). This tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure continue to harm people worldwide. Those harmed are often vulnerable: children, those living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), those with existing diseases, etc. As noted by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 80% of those who smoke live in a LMIC (World Health Organization, 2017). Furthermore, it is often those who are more socio-economically disadvantaged or less educated in LMICs that are exposed to second-hand smoke at home and work (Nazar, Lee, Arora, & Millett, 2015).



Author(s):  
Krati Sethi ◽  
Manas Roy

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused due to a “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus -2 virus” (SARS-COV-2). People who fall ill will experience mild to moderate fever and will retrieve without any special treatment. This pandemic was first seen at Wuhan, China in December 2019. After seen it’s dreadfulness it was declared as a “public health emergency of international concern” (World Health Organization, WHO). As on 1 May 2020 more than 35000 cases have been reported in India resulting in more than 1147 deaths in India till date. It has also led severe socio-economic global disruption. Presently significant slowdown is experienced by Indian economy over the past few quarters.To rectify sluggish consumption demand and investment a numeral of incentive measures has been taken to retrieve the economy towards prosperity. The last quarter of the current fiscal exhibits robust prospect of improvement. However, the new COVID-19 epidemic has contrived the recovery exceptionally arduous in the near to middle terms. The pandemic has thrown new threats for the Indian economy from demand as well as from the supply side. This study is descriptive. The objective of the current study is to find out the impacts of the outbreak of COVID-19 on different sectors of our country. In conclusion, this study suggests policy measures to safeguard the Indian economy from the outbreak of it and bring it back on the growth path.



2010 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Dong ◽  
Shuang Pan ◽  
Li-Sha Sun ◽  
Tie-Jun Li

Abstract Context.—Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst (OOC) is a relatively uncommon developmental cyst comprising about 10% of cases that had been previously coded as odontogenic keratocysts. Odontogenic keratocyst was designated as keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) in the new World Health Organization classification and OOC should be distinguished from KCOT for differences in histologic features and biologic behavior. Objective.—To analyze the clinicopathologic features of 61 cases of OOC in a Chinese population. Design.—Clinicopathologic analysis was performed on 61 cases of OOC. Immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 and p63 was evaluated in 15 OOCs and 15 typical KCOTs. Results.—The 61 patients with OOC ranged from 13 to 75 years (average, 38.93 years). The lesions developed mainly in the third and fourth decades (57.38%) with a distinct predilection for males (72.13%). Six (9.84%) lesions were found in the maxilla and 55 (90.16%) in the mandible. The most common sites were in the mandibular molar and ramus region. Of the 54 cases with radiographic record, 47 (87.04%) were unilocular and 7 (12.96%) were multilocular radiolucencies. Twenty-seven of the 54 cysts were associated with an impacted tooth. Follow-up of 42 patients revealed no recurrence during an average period of 76.8 months after surgery. Compared with KCOTs, expression level of Ki-67 and p63 was significantly lower in OOCs, suggesting a lower proliferative activity. Conclusion.—Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst is clinicopathologically distinct from KCOT and should constitute its own clinical entity.



2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 074-079
Author(s):  
Hasan Kucukkendirci ◽  
Fatih Kara ◽  
Gulsum Gulperi Turgut

AbstractObjective According to the 2017 report of the World Health Organization (WHO), ∼1.5 million people die from vaccine preventable diseases. The WHO is working to generate and popularize effective vaccination programs. However, the concept of “vaccine rejection,” which first started in Europe and United States, has started to make an impact in Turkey during the past 10 years. It is therefore seen as a growing danger in future. This study was conducted to determine, detect, and prevent the reasons of vaccine rejection that have increased in recent years.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and December at 2015. In all districts of Konya (n = 31), it was aimed to reach all 242 families who rejected vaccination to their 0 to 2 years old babies. Families having more than one child refused to vaccinate all of their children. A questionnaire consisting of 47 questions was prepared by the researchers, using the standard trainings of the Ministry of Health and the literature. A total of 172 families agreed to participate in this study. The questionnaire was applied to the parents using the telephone interview technique. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation and percentage.Results About 41.3% (n = 71) of the mothers were high school graduates, 50.6% (n = 87) of their fathers were university graduates. About 82.6% (n = 142) of the participants received examination, treatment and follow-up services from family physicians and family health personnel. About 20.9% (n = 36) of the children were the only children of the family. About 55.8% (n = 96) of the families also refused the vaccination for other children. About 83.7% (n = 144) of the unvaccinated children had infants/children follow-up care. While all participants stated that vaccines had side effects, 31.4% (n = 54) of these believed that vaccines cause autism or paralysis in infants. About 62.2% (n = 107) of their mothers did not receive tetanus vaccine during pregnancy. The highest rate of nonvaccination was with the second dose of hepatitis A vaccine, which 96.5% (n = 166) refused. The most accepted vaccine was the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine, which was refused by 18.0% (n = 31). About 79.7% (n = 137) of the participants did not know the reason for the vaccination and 95.9% (n = 165) thought that the vaccines were not required. All participants received information from the health personnel about the vaccines. While 9.9% (n = 17) of the families thought that vaccines cause infertility, 44.8% (n = 77) did not receive vaccination because the vaccines were produced abroad.Conclusion A growing number of families refuse to have their babies vaccinated. The production of vaccines abroad is a major cause of insecurity. There are also beliefs that vaccines cause infertility. Vaccine production in Turkey should be accelerated and public education about vaccines should be reviewed. Training provided to families about vaccines should also be reviewed.



2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-19
Author(s):  
Jessica Carlisle

During the past 30 years the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has developed an extensive hospital-based mental health system culminating in the passing of a mental health law in 2014. This legislation embodies many of the international standards promoted by the World Health Organization. However, the mechanisms for protecting the human rights of psychiatric patients are neither sufficiently independent nor adequately robust.



2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Amadéo ◽  
Moerani Rereao ◽  
Aurelia Malogne ◽  
Patrick Favro ◽  
Ngoc Lam Nguyen ◽  
...  

The World Health Organization <em>Suicide trends in at-risk territories</em> study is a multi-site regional research program operating first in French Polynesia and countries of the Western Pacific, then extended to the world. The aims of the study were to establish a monitoring system for suicidal behaviors and to conduct a randomised control trial intervention for non-fatal suicidal behaviors. The latter part is the purpose of the present article. Over the period 2008-2010, 515 patients were admitted at the Emergency Department of the Centre Hospitalier de Polynésie Française for suicidal behavior. Those then hospitalized in the Psychiatry Emergency Unit were asked to be involved in the study and randomly allocated to either Treatment As Usual (TAU) or TAU plus Brief Intervention and Contact (BIC), which provides a psycho-education session and a follow-up of 9 phone contacts over an 18-months period. One hundred persons were assigned to TAU, while 100 participants were allocated to the BIC group. At the end of the follow-up there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of number of presentations to the hospital for repeated suicidal behaviors. Although the study could not demonstrate the superiority of a treatment over the other, nevertheless – given its importance – the investigation captured public attention and was able to contribute to the awareness of the need of suicide prevention in French Polynesia. The BIC model of intervention seemed to particularly suit the geographical and health care context of the country.



2010 ◽  
Vol 197 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Velthorst ◽  
Dorien H. Nieman ◽  
Don Linszen ◽  
Hiske Becker ◽  
Lieuwe de Haan ◽  
...  

BackgroundDecline in social functioning occurs in individuals who later develop psychosis.AimsTo investigate whether baseline differences in disability are present in those who do and those who do not make a transition to psychosis in a group clinically at high risk and whether disability is a risk factor for transition.MethodProspective multicentre, naturalistic field study with an 18-month follow-up period on 245 help-seeking individuals clinically at high risk. Disability was assessed with the Disability Assessment Schedule of the World Health Organization (WHODAS–II).ResultsAt baseline, the transition group displayed significantly greater difficulties in making new friends (z =−3.40, P = 0.001), maintaining a friendship (z =−3.00, P = 0.003), dealing with people they do not know (z =−2.28, P = 0.023) and joining community activities (z =−2.0, P = 0.05) compared with the non-transition group. In Cox regression, difficulties in getting along with people significantly contributed to the prediction of transition to psychosis in our sample (β = 0.569, s.e. = 0.184, Wald = 9.548, P = 0.002, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.767, 95% CI 1.238–2.550).ConclusionsCertain domains of social disability might contribute to the prediction of psychosis in a sample clinically at high risk.



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